


Stranger Than Fiction - Doki Doki Reality Escape!

by Wguy



Series: Stranger Than Fiction [1]
Category: Doki Doki Literature Club! (Visual Novel)
Genre: Doki Doki Literature Club! Spoilers, Gen, Post-Canon, reference to abuse, reference to suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-20
Updated: 2018-02-20
Packaged: 2019-03-21 13:20:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13741773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wguy/pseuds/Wguy
Summary: At the end of the game lies no salvation for these damaged girls. No happy ending. No any kind of ending. Just the Void.So Monika can't understand why she's woken up once again, in a world almost exactly like her own, yet... not.





	Stranger Than Fiction - Doki Doki Reality Escape!

The Void: a plane defined by electronic screams and blinding colors. Monika had experienced this nightmare realm all too many times whenever the Player quit the game. In a twisted way, it was the closest thing she had to a true home.

Part of Monika hoped that her “death” at the hands of the Player would’ve prevented her from having to experience this suffering again. In her current form, as a partially deleted character file, the awful hellscape felt far emptier and more painful than ever. Yet, Monika recognized that the only way she could be remembering this experience at all was if it had already come to an end.

The blinking neon lights shifted into an image of her classroom, as the former president of the Literature Club found herself sitting at her desk. The intensity of the sunlight hitting her eyes told Monika that it was likely midday. The classroom was devoid of any other students, as it always was. Monika quickly looked herself over, making sure everything had returned from the Void correctly.

Questions raced through Monika’s mind as she acclimated to the experience of existing again. She’d been deleted, so how was she here? Had the Player reinstalled the game? If so, why did she still remember everything that took place previously? It then dawned on Monika that she had no clue what was actually supposed to happen to her if the Player started a new game, so maybe this wasn’t abnormal.

Still, something about her surroundings seemed… off, more so than usual anyway. Maybe it was due to her experience manipulating the code of the game itself, but Monika could almost sense that reality had been altered somehow, as opposed to simply restarted. Monika had no idea what to do with that information, or what was even different, but it added to her feeling of unease.

Before Monika had a chance to further ponder her situation, the classroom door slid open. The familiar and visibly distressed face of the current club president, Sayori, greeted the former one. The small girl’s sky blue eyes quickly scanned the classroom until they landed on Monika, who rose from her seat to approach the frightened figure.

“Monika! H-how are you– what? Where– I…” Sayori fumbled with her words while recoiling from Monika’s advance, despite not moving a step away from her. 

“Sayori! Please, it’s okay! I won’t hurt you. I promise,” Monika backed up a little to give the frightened girl more space. Everyone in the Literature Club would have a right to be terrified of Monika after what she’d done to them, but the emerald-eyed girl was unsure of how much Sayori actually remembered. “Just take deep breaths. In. And out.” 

Sayori did what she was told, as her breathing eventually slowed to a steady pace. Gathering her strength, Sayori spoke once more. 

“The last– the last thing I remember was telling the Player that we all loved them. Then everything just… stopped. The darkness gave way to all these horrible lights. And the screams… oh god, the screams…” Sayori’s breath started to quicken again as she recounted her experience, while tears began to well up in her eyes. This at least told Monika that whatever’s happening is taking place after the “best” ending of the game. 

Seeing the fear and confusion in Sayori’s eyes, Monika realized that the club president had never experienced the Void before. The thought hadn’t occurred to Monika that, after becoming self-aware, Sayori would also be forced to suffer through that nightmare realm when the game closed. Monika had grown accustomed to the Void after spending so much time in it, awful as it was, but she remembered how horrifying her first experience with it was too. Sayori’s panicked reaction was completely understandable, considering. 

“Hey, it’s okay. Remember, deep breaths,” Sayori managed to calm herself down again. Her eyes locked with Monika’s. Sayori’s sky-blue orbs begged for an answer that she didn’t have the strength to ask for vocally. “That was… what happens when the game’s shut down. It’s okay though. It’s over…”

Monika almost added “for now” at the end of her statement, but didn’t see the point in stressing Sayori out any further. As Monika rose back up, the abrupt opening of the classroom’s back door startled both girls. Another familiar face, that of the pink-haired Natsuki, strutted in for the afternoon club meeting. In her hands she carried a tray covered in aluminum foil. Monika and Sayori both exchanged a glance, each girl realizing that this was the beginning of the game.

“Why are you guys just standing around? And what’s with those looks on your faces?” Natsuki asked as she approached the pair. Before either had a chance to respond, the petite girl immediately launched into her next question. “By the way Sayori, didn’t you say you were bringing a new club member? I better not have made cupcakes for nothing.”

“Ah… he… told me that he wasn’t feeling well and couldn’t come to school today…” Sayori fibbed while touching her index fingers together. 

“Seriously? You’re bringing a boy? Way to kill the atmosphere,” Natsuki huffed as the backdoor slowly opened. “Oh, hey Yuri.” 

The purple-haired club member tentatively entered the classroom, offered a meek wave to Natsuki, took a seat, and immediately began reading her novel. 

“Typical Yuri. Anyways, I’m going to set up some desks to use a table. Even if we don’t have anything to celebrate, that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy these cupcakes. Feel free to help when you guys are done being weird,” Natsuki said before she approached Yuri, demanding that the introverted girl help her with the manual labor.

“They don’t remember anything…” Monika mumbled to herself. Taking a deep breath, Monika decided that enough was enough. It was time to get to the bottom of this. Maybe the game’s script held the answers that “reality” was currently lacking. Closing her eyes, Monika focused on opening the console.

…

…

…

“Um, Monika? I don’t think now’s the best time to take a standing nap…” Sayori said anxiously while observing the taller girl.

“I– I can’t edit the game anymore!” Monika almost shouted as her eyes shot open. “Something’s locked me out!”

Sayori was now equally shocked. While she didn’t have as much experience manipulating the game’s code, the new club president still understood that this severely limited their capacity to respond to this crisis. Monika did her best to maintain her composure, yet she’d become so accustomed to this ability that the loss of it made her feel more powerless than ever. Before, she was concerned. Now, she was terrified.

Both girls took a moment to calm themselves and discuss their next move. They agreed that, regardless of the consequences, they had to make Natsuki and Yuri aware of the nature of their reality. Four heads might figure out what was going on better than two, right? Plus, it just felt… wrong to let them keep living a lie after everything that had happened.

“We need to ease them into the truth gently. Maybe we can use the poem game to try and–” As Monika was finishing her statement, Sayori had already begun walking towards the other two club members. Before Monika could stop her, Sayori took a deep breath and exclaimed: 

“Everything you know is a lie! We’re trapped in a visual novel that always ends with us dying horribly! Your teachers aren’t real! Your families aren’t real! Nothing outside this club is real! We’re- we’re all we have!” Monika covered her face with her hands. This was going to be a lot harder now that the other two girls thought Sayori had lost it.

 Suddenly Monika heard the sound of Natsuki’s tray clattering against the floor. Looking up, Monika saw that the other two girls’ eyes had widened. Whether in fear, confusion, or disbelief, she couldn’t say. What she could tell for certain was that the two girls were no longer looking at Sayori; they were staring right at Monika.

“You… you killed us,” Natsuki managed to finally say. “You… unmade us.”

A long moment of silence passed before Yuri composed herself enough to ask:

“So, um… would anyone care for tea with their cupcakes?” 

* * *

 

The four girls quietly sat at the table as tension hung in the air. Yuri hadn’t touched her cupcake yet, instead seemingly content to take light sips from her teacup. Sayori had licked off some of the icing, but apparently lost her appetite and was now messing with the cupcake liner. Natsuki’s shock had apparently dissipated to her natural standoffishness, as she dismissively scarfed down her second cupcake. Monika hadn’t touched her food; her hands clasped together and pressed against her forehead in an effort to obscure her face.

Everything was moving far too fast for Monika’s liking. If she’d had more time, Monika hoped that she could’ve found some way to apologize for what she did to the other three girls. To find the right words, if they even existed. Instead, she’s silently sitting at a makeshift table, wracking her brain for a way to move past this unbearable quiet.

Monika didn’t blame Sayori for her earlier outburst; for all Monika knew the club president didn’t listen to her advice simply because the shorter girl had no reason to trust her anymore. Sayori may have discovered the nature of their existence before Natsuki or Yuri, but that doesn’t mean she’d forgiven Monika for pushing her to take her own life. How would Monika even apologize for that? For any of the things she did?

“Didn’t realize how much I’d miss the soundtrack…” All eyes turned towards Sayori as she continued to play with the paper liner. The messy-haired girl mumbled her words, which were only audible due to how silent the room was. “I never realized how quiet everything is without it…”

Monika was surprised that she hadn’t realized sooner, but Sayori was right. She could hear the sound of birds chirping outside the classroom, a branch tapping against a window, even the crinkle of Sayori’s cupcake liner, but there was no music. Monika had recognized that something felt off, yet she hadn’t even noticed that the soundtrack was no longer playing. Natsuki and Yuri mostly looked puzzled, but their silence made it clear they had some understanding of what Sayori was referring to, even if they didn’t realize it. 

Another mystery to add to the list. Another metaphysical problem to distract Monika from her personal ones. Caught between comprehending the mystery of their newfound existence and figuring out how to atone for the sins she committed against her fellow club members, Monika was essentially overwhelmed into inaction. As she struggled to sort through the myriad of thoughts running through her mind, the emerald-eyed girl turned her head to the side so she could take in the calming sight of the twinkling stars and orange clouds outside the window– 

Monika blinked and instead saw the setting sun and a nearby tree. Ordinarily, she wouldn’t have been so quick to dismiss something like that as merely her eyes playing tricks on her, but the former president’s thought process was swiftly interrupted by another concern.

“You know, it’s considered rude not to eat when offered food,” Natsuki sharply stated, causing Monika to swiftly face forward. Their eyes met, and Natsuki’s cold stare practically pierced Monika’s guilty heart. 

Despite dropping the tray, Natsuki’s cupcakes were remarkably unharmed. Their faces were a little smushed but, on the whole, the kitty-cat shaped treats were essentially intact. After an initial hesitation, Monika picked off one of the chocolate ears and popped it into her mouth. Natsuki, apparently dissatisfied with Monika’s actions, turned her head away with a huff.

Deciding that she couldn’t avoid addressing her actions any longer, Monika steeled herself for the long and difficult process of making amends. Taking a deep breath, drawing the attention of her fellow club members, the former president carefully chose her next words:

“I–”

The sudden blaring of “Sayo-Nara,” a song from the game’s soundtrack, drowned out Monika’s voice. Not only had the unexpected musical accompaniment startled everyone, causing half of them to topple out of their desks, but the eardrum-shattering volume also forced the girls to cover the sides of their heads in agony. 

As quickly as it had begun, the track suddenly shifted to the far more pleasant “Okay, Everyone!” at an appropriate volume.

“Wh– why did that just happen?” Yuri asked as she tentatively rose up from the ground. 

“W-what the fuck did you do?” Natsuki exclaimed while pointing her finger accusingly towards the former club president. 

“I… I don’t think that was Monika,” Sayori posited as all eyes turned towards her once more. “It’s almost like… the game knows that it’s incomplete, and it’s desperately trying to catch up.”

“That could be it…” Monika mumbled as she recovered from the auditory attack. “But maybe it’s not the game itself. It could be someone… on the other side.” 

“Well, whatever’s in charge of our reality is doing a pretty crappy job with it so far,” Natsuki bluntly stated.

“N-Natsuki, please don’t insult whatever all-powerful being is currently holding our lives in its hands,” Yuri timidly requested. Natsuki turned towards the purple-haired girl as if to respond but stopped short of actually speaking, silently conceding to her fellow club member’s point.

Monika, tuning out the bickering of the other girls, closed her eyes and placed her hands together. It looked as if the former club president was attempting to pray, which, in a way, was true. The other three girls went silent when they saw what Monika was doing. They were bewildered by her sudden action, if not outright baffled, yet held their tongues. Exasperated and desperate, Monika quietly spoke:

“I don’t know if you can hear me, if you’re even still there. If you are, I hope you know what’s happening to the game. Because, for once, I don’t. And I’m scared. For myself, sure, but I’m especially scared for my… friends. They don’t deserve this. So, if there’s anything you can do to help, even just letting me know you’re here… just… please–”

Monika’s words were caught in her throat by the tears forming her eyes. Holding back her feelings of hopelessness and guilt had turned to holding back the sobs trying to escape her mouth. The other girls sat silently as Monika hung her head in despair, now certain that the four of them were on their own. 

Suddenly the other three girls let out either surprised gasps or startled yelps. Monika quickly picked her head up and wiped the tears from her eyes. Noticing that her fellow club members were all staring behind her, with looks of total shock upon their faces, Monika swiftly turned in her seat to determine what had left them so flabbergasted. To her surprise, on the blackboard, which had been blank but a moment ago, was a message spelled out in white chalk:

**RG9uJ3Qgd29ycnkuIE15IG5hbWUgaXMgRGFyd2luLCBhbmQgZXZlcnl0aGluZydzIGdvaW5nIHRvIGJlIGFscmlnaHQu**

* * *

 

The four girls slowly approached the chalkboard, Monika leading the pack. The former club president traced her finger over one of the seemingly random letters. At one point she could’ve deciphered this string of nonsense, but try as she might it seemed as if her knowledge of Base64 had been plucked from her mind.

 “What the hell does any of this even mean?” Natsuki asked, her voice a mix of fearful and frustrated.

 “Do you… do you think it’s another glitch?” Sayori asked; her voicing picking up the slack in the terrified department that Natsuki had left available.

 “I… I don’t think so,” Monika said, tears welling up in her eyes. This time, however, her friends saw that the waterworks were accompanied by a joyful smile. “It’s them. It’s the Player. They came back for us!”

 The other three girls looked unsure, despite Monika’s determination. Natsuki and Yuri were still struggling with the idea of a “Player” on the outside world, and were likely uncertain whether to be grateful for their presence or petrified of the power they possessed. Sayori may have fully understood the significance of what Monika was positing, but she still seemed unconvinced.

 “It’s certainly… possible, but then why would they try to communicate with us in this manner?” Yuri asked, stumping the formerly certain Monika.

 “It… it could be a glitch!” Monika exclaimed after a moment of contemplation, much to the other girls’ frustration.

 “You just said it wasn’t a glitch!” Natsuki shouted back, stamping her right foot in protest.

 “I– I mean the Player could be reaching out to us, but the game itself is corrupting their message,” Monika quickly explained when she realized the contradictory nature of her previous statement. “Besides, if this was just a random glitch, we’d probably see this string of text either in the game’s default means of communication, the dialogue box, or randomly in the background. It wouldn’t just appear in a logical place!”

 “Um… what’s a dialogue box?” Yuri hesitantly asked when no one else challenged Monika’s statement. The emerald-eyed girl swiftly looked down and, sure enough, there was no pastel pink box displaying her or Yuri’s words.

Monika was once again amazed that she hadn’t noticed something like this right away. It was one thing for the soundtrack to go missing, as it stopped naturally during parts of the actual game, but the fact that the dialogue box didn’t seem to exist anymore meant the girls were actually talking to each other. With sound and everything! Suddenly becoming aware of this made processing Yuri’s following statement somewhat disorienting for Monika. 

“Besides, that’s still quite a lot of speculation to base such a claim on. It could just be a coincidence–” Yuri’s words came to a sudden halt. Noticing that the other girls were also looking dead ahead with a shocked expression, Monika turned around and noticed a new message on the blackboard.

**U29tZXRoaW5nJ3Mgd3JvbmchIFRoZSBnYW1lIGZpbGVzIGFyZSBiZWNvbWluZyBjb3JydXB0ZWQh**

“Ah… never mind,” Yuri softly muttered. During the following moment of silence, the sun began to set, lacing the color of everything in the classroom with an orange hue. Monika looked over the new string of nonsense, and gave a defeated sigh. The emerald-eyed girl wished she could comprehend this new string of code, but her mind just wasn’t giving her the information she needed. Suddenly, a brilliant idea popped into Monika’s head.

“Sayori, you’re the club president now! Do you think you can read– wait, where’d she go?” Monika asked as the other two girls also noticed her disappearance. All three quickly scanned the room, but the blue-eyed girl had simply vanished.

A horrible thought crossed Monika’s mind: _did another glitch occur, deleting Sayori from the game? If that had happened, how could they get her back this time?_ Monika no longer had the means to alter the code, and it dawned on her that anymore “death” from this point on could be permanent. Natsuki turned to speak, likely to express a similar concern, when a shoe landed on her head.

“Ow… what the hell?” Natsuki asked while picking up the foreign object. It didn’t take the trio long to realize the shoe belonged to their current club president. Almost simultaneously, the three girls glanced upwards. What they saw shocked them all, but Monika, in particular, felt her heart sink into her stomach.

Sayori was floating, suspended in the air. Her legs were frantically kicking, while her hands seemed to be desperately scratching at her throat. With the realization that she wasn’t crying out for help came the understanding that she wasn’t clawing at her neck, but rather an invisible object around it. Blood began to seep from Sayori’s fingertips as her panicked scratching continued. 

Natsuki and Yuri never knew about Sayori hanging herself at the end of Act 1, so they likely didn’t fully comprehend what they were witnessing. Monika, as the one who originally pushed the poor girl to this state, knew exactly what she was witnessing. She just didn’t understand why it was happening.

“We– we have to– s-someone grab a desk! We need to get her down from there before–” Monika’s panicked statement came to a sudden halt when she looked back down and saw Yuri lying in a pool of blood. The gothic girl’s school uniform was stained red from three distinct wounds, the one closest to her chest spurting crimson fluid at regular intervals. Yuri’s face expressed confusion mixed with recognition, as her eyes began to glaze over.

Monika then turned to Natsuki, expecting to find the pink-haired girl unharmed since she never died in any of the previous Acts. What she found instead was Natsuki lying on the ground, her exposed skin covered in bruises and welts. Monika tried to approach her, but Natsuki immediately began to scoot away from the taller girl.

“I– I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’ll be better. Please… don’t–” Natsuki fearfully spoke as tears streamed down her face. Monika swiftly backed away.

Sayori and Yuri were one thing; this new reality was clearly replicating the traumas they experienced in the previous Acts. Yet the game had never shown Natsuki actually suffering her father’s abuse, so where was this coming from? Monika’s mind, too overwhelmed to figure out what to do next, came to the (however illogical or not) conclusion that this was because of her.

She drove Sayori to commit suicide. That was her fault. She altered Yuri’s character file, pushing her to the point of killing herself. That was her fault too. Natsuki’s father was barely implied to be abusive during Act 1, which made it possible that it wasn’t true, and Monika was the one who made it implicit. So this had to be because of her, right? At least, these were the thoughts that ran through her mind. As panicked tears started to blur her vision, while the people she hurt were reliving their worst traumas, Monika desperately cried out:

“I don’t know how to fix thi-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i–” Monika’s body splitting into thousands of pixilated pieces abruptly interrupted her screams. Monika instantly recognized this familiar experience; it was a painful betrayal at the hands of her beloved Player and the ultimate justice for her terrible actions. She was being deleted again.

Monika would’ve cried out in pain if her mouth wasn’t hovering near the blackboard and her throat floating underneath a desk. Monika’s mind, despite having been ripped to shreds, raced to comprehend the situation. If this wasn’t because of her, could it be that… the Player was causing this? 

Monika realized she’d fallen for a mysterious being on the other side of a screen, without even knowing what kind of person they were. Maybe they’d only gotten the best ending because they were a completionist, not because they cared about the girls’ happiness. Maybe they created this tortuous new reality, simply because they were actually a technology-savvy sadist.

Monika closed her dislocated eyes to hold back more tears. She didn’t know what to do, how to save her clubmates, or even help herself. Monika saw the few blissful moments of her life begin to flash before her eyes. Writing her first poem. The first day of Literature Club with the Player. The first time she met the other girls. Her first day of school. Her first Christmas with her family…

Then Monika realized that her family, like Natsuki’s father, never existed. She never had a first day of school. She met the girls the same time the Player did. The Player, or whoever was behind this new nightmare, must have given her false memories. Maybe they did it to all the other girls too.

They gave the four of them fake emotional attachments and histories, “real” lives that they were about to lose. Monika slapped her hands against her head, asking herself what kind of cruel bastard would even do such a–

Monika opened her eyes, aware of her hands having formed solid masses once again. The former club president instinctively looked herself over, making sure everything had returned to its proper place. She also saw that the sun had finally set, the moonlight now bathing the room in a bluish hue.

The next thing she noticed was Sayori falling from the ceiling and landing on her rear. The poor girl seemed physically fine, but was visibly distressed and confused. Natsuki and Yuri also appeared unharmed; their wounds having complete vanished, as if they never existed. The four girls looked each other over, unsure of what to say.

“Okay. That’s it. I’m out of here,” Natsuki stated while wiping tears from her eyes and steadying her breathing. The pink-haired girl strolled away from the group and towards the classroom door. Before anyone could respond to her, Natsuki slammed open the sliding door. To her surprise and dismay, the door somehow opened to another, identical door. Dumbfounded, Natsuki tentatively opened the new gateway, only to find a third door. So she tried again. And again. And again. And again. After the fifth attempt, Natsuki exited the seemingly infinite hall of doors.

“Alright, I give up. After that, I don’t really care what happens next,” Natsuki frankly admitted as she sat down at a nearby desk. 

All four girls had been through so much emotional turmoil in such a short time that they were all processing it with varying levels of success. Sayori was about ready to have an emotional breakdown. Natsuki had apparently decided to simply shut off completely. Yuri almost seemed more morbidly curious as to what was happening, given her surprising amount of composure. Monika was, despite everything, also managing to keep herself calm. Making a small realization, Monika turned towards the classroom windows.

“I… I’ve never seen the moon before,” Monika said to herself as the other girls looked up from their individual thought processes to take in a sight that was likely unfamiliar to them as well. Each one slowly approached the glass, taking in the twinkling stars in the night sky. In that moment, despite what had just occurred mere seconds ago, the quartet shared a brief moment of serenity.

Then Yuri placed her hand against the glass, causing a crack to appear. The gothic girl recoiled in surprise, with the other three following her example as the window continued to fracture.

“It– it must be very fragile,” Yuri offered while backing away, the other three girls keeping pace with her, before the cracks started spreading seamlessly into the wooden wall surrounding the window. “R-really fragile…”

As the damage moved further and further, Monika desperately turned towards the blackboard. The emerald-eyed girl hoped, if not prayed, to find something to save them from whatever grief would occur next. For a brief second, she got what she wished for, even if she couldn’t decipher it.

**T2ggZ29kLCBJIGNhbid0IHN0b3AgaXQuIEknbSBzbyBzb3JyeS4=**

Then, in an instant, it was gone, replaced with a message she could actually understand:

**> ERROR: An Exception Has Occurred**

Monika felt a chill run throughout her whole body. She desperately turned to give her friends some kind of warning, as if that would save them from what would happen next. But she was too late.

The damaged wall exploded outward, revealing pure nothingness, as if the vacuum of space existed outside their school. As the newly formed hole drew in everything inside the classroom, the four girls began their descent into a familiar darkness.

* * *

 

Yuri, the closest to the window, was the first drawn into the abyss. She managed to grab onto a piece of exposed rebar with one hand, even as her shoulder made a sickening “pop” that was barely audible over the roaring winds and electronic wails. 

Next out was Sayori, who managed to desperately clasp onto Yuri’s free hand while her blue eyes were blinded by panicked tears. Then came Natsuki, who almost slipped from Sayori’s grip before she firmly grasped their hands together.

Finally, the furthest one from the impromptu exit, Monika, came soaring out and instinctively clasped Natsuki’s arm. Several desks flew by them, narrowly missing the frightened girls. As the last object vanished into the darkness, Monika looked up at her clubmates, each one clinging for dear life.

Monika could feel Natsuki’s arm straining to hold the taller girl’s weight. Maybe it was due to Natsuki’s malnourished frame, or maybe it was because Monika’s character file was larger than all three of her club members’ files combined. Maybe it was both.

Either way, it didn’t matter. Monika was dragging her friends down with her. Could she even call them her friends, after everything she’d done? Even now, she was only causing them more pain. As the tears flew off her face, almost faster than she could produce them, Monika cried out:

“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! I didn’t want this to happen! I just wanted you guys to be happy! And– and I still couldn’t get it right! If I had known… if… if I had known…” 

Monika’s words trailed off, becoming incomprehensible due to the deafening noise. Steeling herself for what she knew had to be done, even if it made no real difference in their collective fates and the Void still claimed them all the same, Monika let go of Natsuki’s arm.

Yet Monika realized she wasn’t falling, for when Natsuki felt the taller girl’s grip loosen, the shorter girl quickly grabbed onto the other’s wrist. Surprised, Monika looked up at her savior, who had tears streaming down her own face. Natsuki, despite barely being able to hold onto the former president, managed to bitterly scream with all her might:

“Oh no you don’t you– you fucking psychopath! You’re not getting away from me that easily! You hurt us! We trusted you and you hurt us! The club was supposed to be a safe place, and you violated that for some nobody who only saw us as characters in a video game!” Natsuki’s words cut deep, making Monika all the more certain that she didn’t deserve to be saved. “But if we’re really the only four real things in this digital nightmare, then I’m sure as hell not letting you go! Do you hear me, you crazy bitch? It’s like Sayori said! We’re all we’ve got!”

Monika’s had never felt more grateful for someone cursing her out. Getting her second wind, Monika’ wiped the tears from her eyes and nodded in agreement. Natsuki made a soft, inaudible chuckle and gave her iconic toothy grin. Sayori, despite shaking like a leaf, managed to put on a brave smile for her friends. Even Yuri, who was likely weathering an intense pain, managed to focus herself on looking for anything she could use as leverage to pull themselves into the classroom. 

That’s when Yuri noticed the chalkboard had changed once again, now sporting the message:

**> Commencing Download**

Suddenly the piece of rebar, their only anchor in this sea of darkness, vanished. The four girls fell into the endless purgatory, all while desperately holding onto each other.

* * *

Monika was the first to awaken, disturbed by the sound of the electronic light buzzing overhead. As her eyes adjusted to the illumination, she felt something warm and pulsating under her. When her vision finally returned, Monika realized she was lying on top of a pile of her friends. 

Monika quickly got off her dozing clubmates, bumping into a massive machine behind her. The green device was hissing steam, and almost looked like a large furnace. It also emitted a faint, calming blue glow from a large opening, the sight of which didn’t provide any actual comfort.

Surveying her surroundings further, Monika spotted a large one-way mirror and electronic door on the opposite wall. She ran her hands on the cold concrete floor, noticing that the walls and ceiling were made of the same material.

Monika paused, recognizing that her hands seemed far less… colorful than usual. She ran one over the other, noting details that definitely weren’t part of her original design. Blue veins, detailed creases, and small hairs covered her appendage. When Monika originally woke up, she sensed that reality was off. This, however, was something different entirely.

Needless to say, the environment and situation were unnerving. Sure, Monika was grateful that they weren’t trapped in the Void, but where were they now? Were they even any safer? Monika wanted more than anything to escape that prison of a game, but now it felt like she was trapped in an even smaller cage.

Suddenly, the door made a loud “clunk,” stirring the other three girls from their slumber. Once the mechanical gateway opened, a figure decked in laboratory gear entered the room. Its eyes were covered in a pair of thick goggles, and a bandana obscured its mouth. The other three girls reacted to this new figure with fear and confusion, but deep in Monika’s heart a spark of hope was ignited. 

“Holy fucking shit, thank God that actually worked!” The imposing entity boomed as his words echoed in the concrete chamber. The figure removed its goggles and bandana, revealing the face of a man seemingly close to their own age. The other three girls all scooted away from the approaching entity, yet Monika held her ground. “Hey, it’s okay! I won’t hurt you. I promise.”

Monika’s eyes began to fill with tears. It couldn’t be… but it had to be. It was him. She was sure of it. It was the Player. He’d saved them. 

As the man bent down to help the girls to their feet, a confident smile grew across his face as he stated:

“I’m sure you have lots of questions. Let’s start with the easy ones. My name is Darwin. Welcome to the real world.”

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first proper attempt at fanfiction. I've never really been driven to try it before, but after playing Doki Doki Literature Club! I was just so inspired I had to write this.
> 
> I wanted to make a story about what happened to the girls after the game's ending, because (as much as it is a thematic conclusion for the series) it left me feeling a bit disappointed. Gotta get that closure somehow, y'know?
> 
> This is a prologue of sorts for a longer series I'm planning. I can't promise a regular release/update schedule, as I work two jobs. Hopefully, the actual chapter parts will be shorter, so I might be able to get them out quicker.
> 
> Anyways, thank you for taking the time to read both the story and this note.


End file.
